38 



AGRICULTURAL EXPLORATIONS IN THE ORCHARDS OF CHINA. 



ceptible when eaten and the fruit may therefore safely be called 

 seedless. The fruits are rather small, of a dark brown-red color, 

 and very sweet. They are excellent when boiled with rice or millet, 

 make delicious stewed compote, and can be eaten dried with pea- 

 nuts, the same as raisins and almonds. Foreign soldiers in Peking, 

 with whom the writer tested a few pounds, were remarkably fond of 

 them. 



The trees grow only to a medium size. They are usually planted 

 in rows through the fields at distances of from 8 to 10 feet apart. 

 The Chinese ring the trees every year at the time of the setting of 

 the fruit by sawing through the bark close to the base of the trunk. 

 The}^ say that if this is not done half of the fruit is thrown off by 



the tree, so that by 

 this method they dou- 

 ble the crop. (See PI. 

 VI, fig. 2.) The fruit 

 of the ringed trees, 

 however, is not so 

 sweet by far as that 

 coming from the un- 

 ringed trees. 



"Chin sze tsao," a 

 rather small but very 

 sweet variety, grow- 

 ing at Laoling, Shan- 

 tung (fig. 12). This 

 variety is said to be 

 one of the best for the 

 manufacture of the 

 celebrated honey ju- 

 jubes. The fruit is 

 of a light brown-red color; the trees are of medium size, with much 

 of the habit of the seedless jujube. 



"Tun ku yu tsao," a flat jujube, growing near Chinanfu, Shan- 

 tung. This variety has a dark-brown color and is remarkably sweet; 

 considered locally one of the best varieties for eating fresh. 



"Twen ku lu tsao," another flat variety, growing near Chingchowfu, 

 Shantung. The fruit is of medium-large size, of dark-brown color, 

 and is also very sweet. It does not keep long. The trees are of 

 medium growth, bear but little fruit, and sucker very little. They 

 are propagated by being grafted upon the wild stock. 



Besides the varieties mentioned there are scores of others that did 

 not come under the writer's personal observation, but which are 

 mentioned in various Chinese publications. One variety is even 

 said to be white. 



204 



Fig. 12.— Chinese jujubes of the "Chin sze tsao" variety, used exten- 

 sively in the manufacture of the so-called honey jujubes ("Mi tsao"). 

 A remarkably sweet variety. 



